While Apple’s iPhone launch event may not bring the wild skydiving and repelling stunts from the Google Glass demo, it will bring significant dollars into Apple’s pockets. Wells Fargo analysts have made the bold prediction that the next iPhone launch will be the biggest product launch in consumer electronics history. Bigger than any TV, Walkman, computer or phone launch ever made. This isn’t exactly a stretch, as the mobile market is growing rapidly at the moment, and there are millions of iPhone 4s and 4S’s out there just waiting to be upgraded. Moreover, there’s still a pretty significant number of feature phone owners likely looking to upgrade to smartphones the next time their line is eligible.The market is there, but what about the competition?
With RIM delaying BlackBerry 10 to early next year and consumers shying away from the Windows Phone platform, Apple’s next iPhone may continue Apple’s seemingly impossible streak of record-shattering earnings. The next iPhone has a lot to get excited about as well, with a revamped iOS 6 platform, a jump to a 4″ display, and the addition of NFC and LTE. Of course, Apple’s got some competition; Samsung has recently started selling the Android-based Galaxy S III, and sales are reported to be off the charts. And with Samsung recently stealing Apple’s crown as “King of Smartphones,” that could amount to record-breaking sales for the Galaxy S III as well. Android currently has over 50% of the smartphone market share, and the platform is only getting better with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Project Butter.
So with competition heating up, will Apple’s next iPhone launch be the biggest consumer electronics launch of all time? They’ve certainly got the right formula, and people still want iPhones and iPads. iPhones, iPads, and iPods are still the most sought after products in their respective industries, and that fact alone may suggest that Apple may just be able to pull it off. One thing’s for sure; even if it’s not the “biggest consumer electronics launch ever,” it’s certainly going to sell like hotcakes and make Apple a crapton of money. And isn’t that really all that matters?
[via MobileSyrup, Computer World, StreetInsider]